Irreplaceable
by The Queen of Double Standards
Summary: No matter how cruel she is, she's the one I'll always love. It will never be you, no matter what I might lead you to believe. RinxGumixIroha. Gumi POV. Oneshot.


**Irreplaceable**

"**Gumi!"**

"Rin?"

I turned around toward **her** voice, so hopelessly hopeful, so dreadfully desperate. I thought I saw **her** smile for a moment, but there was nothing but air. Disappointment and agony threatened to swallow me whole as I buried my face between my knees again. I heard a giggle, **her** lighthearted giggle, and, knowing all the while that there was no chance, I looked toward **her** again, but **she** wasn't there.

"_Gumi?"_

It wasn't **her** voice this time. I buried my head deeper. I couldn't look at _her_, not _her_, not now, not ever.

_Her_ hand was on my shoulder, so I sharply threw it away. I wasn't sure if _she_ flinched or not, but I hoped _she_ did. _"Gumi, are you okay?"_

What a stupid question. I was far from okay.

I heard that beautiful laughter, but I knew it wasn't nearly there. I screwed my eyes shut. I wouldn't look, wouldn't look, wouldn't look.

"**Gumi, do you love me?"**

That voice in my ear, it wasn't really there. It wasn't, wasn't, wasn't.

"_Gumi, you need to get out of here."_ That voice was really there, but it wasn't the voice I wanted, needed.

"**Hey, Gumi, I love you. Did you know that?"**

"_It's not good for you to stay here, Gumi."_ _Her_ voice was soft, coaxing, nothing like **hers**. I didn't like it, didn't like it, didn't like it.

"**I've always loved you."**

"_Come outside with me, alright? Just get out of here. The world's still out there, waiting for you."_

I didn't want to say anything in front of _her_, but hearing **her** voice left me so completely desperate that tears were filling my eyes, so I whimpered **her** name into the fabric around my knees. I was certain this time of _her_ flinch, and the pain in _her_ voice gave me a sick satisfaction that only broke me further apart.

"_Rin's not here, Gumi, okay? I'm here for you, though. I know I can't ever be __**her**__, but I'll try my best to make myself the best I can be for you."_

"**I'm sorry, Gumi, I lied. But you knew that, didn't you?"**

**Her** giggle was so cruel, unlike anything I'd ever heard from **her**. It suited **her**, though, if I thought about it. **She** seemed more like the kind for that kind of giggle than for the smile and jovial laugh **she** always gave me. **She** was so cruel, so very cruel, so why did I forgive **her** of it all?

"**I know you love me, but I'll never love you back. It's just the way it is. How did it feel, though, knowing that I might? For just one moment, knowing I was in love with you?"**

"_Please, Gumi, at least let me try."_

I loved **her**, so I forgave **her** of everything. If **she **came back to me now, I'd forgive **her** for everything in an instant. It was all I wanted. I loved **her**. I wanted **her **to love me, too. And, even if **she **wouldn't, I wanted **her **here beside me. I wanted **her **close to me.

"_You don't have to stop being in love with __**her**__. I know that's not happening anytime soon. I just want you to be with me so that I can protect you from__** her**__."_

"**I'll never be in love with you, but you can keep hoping, if you'd like. I'll allow you that. Just don't do it in front of Gakupo. He's my boyfriend, after all, so that'd just be uncalled for."**

Those words made me numb, even if I knew **she** herself wasn't the one to speak them, and I looked up to _her_ and spoke.

"Iroha, I'll give you a chance."

_Her_ shining tears and brilliant smile when I said that only made me feel worse, because I knew I was still in love with **her** and always would be. No one could ever take **her** place, no matter how hard _she_ might try.

**Author's Note: I have so many stories I just can't seem to manage to finish. Sorry this isn't long; it's just a drabble really to let you know I'm alive. I just can't seem to draw an ending to anything right now, so I'm writing a lot but have nothing to post. Anyway, hope you enjoyed it at least. Review if you have the chance.**


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